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Large Variation (large + variation)
Kinds of Large Variation Selected AbstractsModelling ecological half-lives for radiocaesium in Norwegian brown trout populationsJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2000Dag O. Hessen Summary 1.,Models of ecological half-life may be valuable and cost-effective predictive tools for authorities setting restrictions on human consumption of freshwater fish after environmental releases of radioactivity. This work aimed to validate such a model for radioactive caesium (134Cs and 137Cs) in brown trout Salmo trutta populations. Data were drawn from lakes with a wide variability in abiotic and biotic factors and initial caesium load. 2.,In Norway, the highest fallout (more than 150 kBq m,2 of 137Cs) from the Chernobyl accident occurred in Oppland county, in south central Norway. Radioactivity was measured in more than 1800 samples of brown trout in nearly 100 localities in this region during 1986,95. 3.,The back-calculated maximum initial radioactivity on 1 January 1987 showed a strong regional variability (range 443,13 370; average 3855 Bq kg,1). Large variation in initial radioactivity was also recorded on a local scale (within 50 km). 4.,The ecological half-life model for caesium in brown trout populations for 1987,94/95 gave a close fit to real data from all localities with sufficient time series. Predicted half-lives ranged from 1·2 to 4·2 years (average 2·5) but 95% confidence limits were narrow (2·7 and 2·3 years). 5.,The overall variability in radioactivity levels over time was almost entirely related to the initial load and, with few exceptions, 88% of the changes in radioactivity was explained by the simple regression model. Modest variability in ecological half-life was not correlated with initial activity, and no clear effects of water quality or season could be detected. For most lakes, levels of radioactivity in brown trout appeared to be predictable, with high accuracy after a fallout event, without extensive information on population ecology and water quality. However, more detailed work may be required to assess patterns within individual lakes. [source] Influences of body posture on duration of oral swallowing in normal young adultsJOURNAL OF ORAL REHABILITATION, Issue 6 2007D. INAGAKI Summary, The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether body posture altered the duration of oral swallowing. To answer this question, we recorded electromyograms (EMGs) from the anterior tongue and suprahyoid (SH) muscles as well as laryngeal movement associated with swallowing in nine normal young subjects. The subjects swallowed a test food after receiving a signal while in four randomly set postures: upright, two inclined (60° and 30° to the horizontal), and supine positions. We measured the durations from the start to the peak and from the peak to the end of the integrated tongue and SH EMGs. We assumed that the duration from the start to the peak of the integrated SH EMG would correspond to the duration of oral swallowing. The average duration from the start to the peak of the integrated SH EMG decreased after moving from the upright to the inclined and supine positions. The decrease in the duration was statistically significant and consistent for three experimental sessions. The duration from the start to the peak of the integrated tongue EMG during swallowing tended to decrease after lying down, but not significantly. The postural changes did not affect the remaining four durations. The decrease in the duration of oral swallowing induced by lying down suggests that the gravitational force placed on the test food facilitates the swallowing reflex. Large variation in the tongue activity during swallowing among the subjects can probably be attributed to the lack of a significant decrease in the duration of the tongue activity. [source] N-linked glycosylation is an important parameter for optimal selection of cell lines producing biopharmaceutical human IgGBIOTECHNOLOGY PROGRESS, Issue 1 2009Patrick H. C. van Berkel Abstract We studied the variations in N-linked glycosylation of human IgG molecules derived from 105 different stable cell lines each expressing one of the six different antibodies. Antibody expression was based on glutamine synthetase selection technology in suspension growing CHO-K1SV cells. The glycans detected on the Fc fragment were mainly of the core-fucosylated complex type containing zero or one galactose and little to no sialic acid. The glycosylation was highly consistent for the same cell line when grown multiple times, indicating the robustness of the production and glycan analysis procedure. However, a twofold to threefold difference was observed in the level of galactosylation and/or non-core-fucosylation between the 105 different cell lines, suggesting clone-to-clone variation. These differences may change the Fc-mediated effector functions by such antibodies. Large variation was also observed in the oligomannose-5 glycan content, which, when present, may lead to undesired rapid clearance of the antibody in vivo. Statistically significant differences were noticed between the various glycan parameters for the six different antibodies, indicating that the variable domains and/or light chain isotype influence Fc glycosylation. The glycosylation altered when batch production in shaker was changed to fed-batch production in bioreactor, but was consistent again when the process was scaled from 400 to 5,000 L. Taken together, the observed clone-to-clone glycosylation variation but batch-to-batch consistency provides a rationale for selection of optimal production cell lines for large-scale manufacturing of biopharmaceutical human IgG. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2009 [source] The evolution of water transport in plants: an integrated approachGEOBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2010J. PITTERMANN This review examines the evolution of the plant vascular system from its beginnings in the green algae to modern arborescent plants, highlighting the recent advances in developmental, organismal, geochemical and climatological research that have contributed to our understanding of the evolution of xylem. Hydraulic trade-offs in vascular structure,function are discussed in the context of canopy support and drought and freeze,thaw stress resistance. This qualitative and quantitative neontological approach to palaeobotany may be useful for interpreting the water-transport efficiencies and hydraulic limits in fossil plants. Large variations in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are recorded in leaf stomatal densities, and may have had profound impacts on the water conservation strategies of ancient plants. A hypothesis that links vascular function with stomatal density is presented and examined in the context of the evolution of wood and/or vessels. A discussion of the broader impacts of plant transport on hydrology and climate concludes this review. [source] Semiempirical electronic structure calculation on Ca and Pb apatitesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF QUANTUM CHEMISTRY, Issue 4 2009Maria Matos Abstract A systematic study is made on the electronic structure of stoichiometric calcium and lead apatites, using the tight binding extended Hückel method (eHT). The aim is to investigate the applicability of the semiempirical theory to study this family of compounds. A10(BO4)6X2 (A = Ca, Pb) apatites, differing by substitutions in the BO4 tetrahedral unit (B = P, As, and V) and X-channel ion (X = OH, Cl), are considered. The calculations show that eHT is suitable to describe basic properties especially concerning trends with atomic substitution and geometry changes. Band structure, Mulliken charge distribution, and bond orders are in good agreement with results of ab initio density functional theory (DFT) found in the literature. Large variations in the optical gap due to vanadium and lead substitutions are newly found. Changes in the anion X-channel affect the optical gap, which is in close agreement with DFT results. Analysis involving subnets are performed to determine the role of halogenic orbitals in the electronic structure of chloroapatites, showing evidence of covalent Cl bonding. It was also found that PbOH bonding in hydroxy-vanadinite Pb10(VO4)6(OH)2, recently synthesized, is weaker than that of CaOH in vanadate Ca10(VO4)6(OH)2. Arsenium is found to be more weakely bound to the O-tetrahedron than phosphorous, although CaO bond is increased with the substitution. We investigate, in addition, the electronic structure of a model system Ca10(AsO4)6(OH)2, obtained from direct As substitution in the vanadate Ca10(VO4)6(OH)2. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2009 [source] Restricted fish feeding reduces cod otolith opacityJOURNAL OF APPLIED ICHTHYOLOGY, Issue 2 2008H. Høie Summary The purpose of this work was to examine the effect of reduced feeding and constant temperature on cod otolith opacity. Three groups of juvenile cod were given restricted food rations at different times for 4 months, resulting in depressed somatic growth. Otolith opacity was measured on pictures of the otolith sections. The otolith carbonate deposited during the experimental period was generally opaque compared to the more translucent otolith material deposited prior to and after the experimental period, when the fish were kept in a pond and in sea-cages at higher temperatures. Large variations in otolith opacity were found between individual fish both within groups and between groups. In two of the three groups significantly more translucent otolith material was deposited in response to reduced feeding. Our results show that variations in feeding and hence fish growth resulted in variation in otolith opacity, but the effect was minor compared to that of variations in ambient temperature. The combined influence of these effects, which both act on fish metabolism, are most likely controlling the seasonal opacity changes observed in wild fish. Our results help explain the variations seen in fish at constant temperatures. [source] Influence of Wavefront Dynamics on Transmembrane Potential Characteristics During Atrial FibrillationJOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 8 2000CHARLES A. ATHILL M.D. Transmembrane Potential Characteristics. Introduction: Although computerized mapping studies have demonstrated the presence of multiple wavelets during atrial fibrillation (AF) and that action potential amplitude and duration in AF vary significantly from beat to heat, no study has correlated the single cell action potential changes with the patterns of activation during AF. Methods and Results: We studied wavefront dynamics and single cell transmembrane potential (TMP) characteristics in 12 isolated perfused canine right atria. The endocardial surface was mapped using 477 bipolar electrodes while TMP was recorded with a standard glass microelectrode from an epicardial cell. AF was induced in the presence of acetylcholine. Successful simultaneous TMP recordings and activation maps were made during six episodes of AF and for a total of 141 activations. Large variations of TMP amplitude and duration were observed frequently; 34% of them have a low amplitude (<50% of the amplitude recorded during pacing). Low-amplitude potentials were recorded when the impaled cell was (1) in an area of random reentry (67%, n = 36); (2) within 3.2 mm of the core of organized functional reentry (22%, n = 12); (3) in the middle of two merging wavefronts (9%, n = 5); and (4) at the point of spontaneous wavebreak (2%, n = 1). Conclusion: Large variations of TMP are observed frequently during in vitro AF. Low-amplitude TMPs are associated with specific patterns of AF activation wavefronts. [source] The defensive role of lysozyme in human gingiva in inflammatory periodontal diseaseJOURNAL OF PERIODONTAL RESEARCH, Issue 5 2009R. Younes Background and Objective:, The presence of lysozyme in human gingiva has not previously been demonstrated. In this study, we looked for evidence for the potential role of lysozyme as a protector of gingival elastic fibres. The objective of this study was also to determine the ex vivo susceptibility to hydrolysis of gingival elastic fibres from patients with or without periodontal disease by human leukocyte elastase and by human cathepsin G. Materials and Methods:, Using gingival tissue sections from eight control, 10 gingivitis and 10 periodontitis patients, we evaluated the area fraction occupied by gingival elastic fibres (after selective staining) by the use of automated image analysis. In the ex vivo experiments, serial tissue sections from four control, four gingivitis, four young periodontitis and four aged periodontitis patients were submitted to the action of human leukocyte elastase and cathepsin G, after which enzymatic activities were determined by image analysis. Indirect immunodetection of lysozyme was also done on tissue sections for all patients included in this study. Results:, Large variations of the area fraction occupied by elastic fibres were observed in human gingiva from young and aged patients with and without periodontal disease. In control and gingivitis patients, leukocyte elastase and cathepsin G had high comparable elastin solubilizing activities. With young and aged periodontitis patients, the two serine proteinases had weak elastin solubilizing activities. Lysozyme appeared to be present at the periphery of gingival elastic fibres in periodontitis patients. Conclusion:, Lysozyme can be considered an important natural protector of elastic fibres in pathological gingiva. [source] Volatile components of raw and smoked black bream (Brama raii) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) studied by means of solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometryJOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 9 2002María D Guillén Abstract Solid phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of raw and smoked black bream and rainbow trout was carried out. The volatile components of the raw fish belong to a limited number of groups of compounds. Raw black bream has a higher presence of acids than raw trout, while the latter contains more alcohols, hydrocarbons, esters and phenol derivatives; both contain similar concentrations of saturated aldehydes. The volatiles of the smoked fish basically comprise the compounds also detected in the raw fish together with others produced during the processing. Smoke components detected in both smoked fish species were mainly phenol, guaiacol and syringol derivatives, ketones, acetic acid and some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Smoked black bream contained a higher number and higher concentrations of smoke components than smoked rainbow trout. Large variations in concentrations of smoke components in the smoked fish samples indicated that the smoking process had not been totally homogeneous. The presence of autoxidatively derived compounds, such as unsaturated aldehydes, was mainly detected in some smoked bream samples, showing that this degradation process is not occurring homogeneously. The usefulness of the applied techniques for the study of volatile components of raw and smoked fish is shown. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Genetic analysis identifies quantitative trait loci controlling rosette mineral concentrations in Arabidopsis thaliana under droughtNEW PHYTOLOGIST, Issue 1 2009Artak Ghandilyan Summary ,,Rosettes of 25 Arabidopsis thaliana accessions and an Antwerp-1 (An-1) × Landsberg erecta (Ler) population of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) grown in optimal watering conditions (OWC) and water deficit conditions (WDC) were analysed for mineral concentrations to identify genetic loci involved in adaptation of mineral homeostasis to drought stress. ,,Correlations between mineral concentrations were determined for accessions and a quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis was performed for the RIL population. ,,Plant growth and rosette mineral contents strongly decreased in WDC compared with OWC. Mineral concentrations also generally decreased, except for phosphorus (P), which remained constant, and potassium (K), which increased. Large variations in mineral concentrations were observed among accessions, mostly correlated with total rosette leaf area. Mineral concentration QTLs were identified in the RIL population, but only a few were common for both conditions. Clusters of mineral concentration QTLs often cosegregated with dry weight QTLs. ,,Water deficit has a strong effect on rosette mineral status. This is genetically determined and seems largely a pleiotropic effect of the reduction in growth. The low number of common mineral concentration QTLs, shared among different RIL populations, tissues and conditions in Arabidopsis, suggests that breeding for robust, mineral biofortified crops will be complex. [source] Comparison by PAM Fluorometry of Photosynthetic Activity of Nine Marine Phytoplankton Grown Under Identical Conditions,PHOTOCHEMISTRY & PHOTOBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2005P. Juneau ABSTRACT The photosynthetic activity of marine phytoplankton from five algal classes (Phaeodactylum tricornutum, Skeletonema costatum, Thalassiosira oceanica, Thalassiosira weissflogii, Dunaliella tertiolecta, Mantoniella squamata, Emiliania huxleyi, Pavlova lutheri and Heterosigma akashiwo) was investigated under identical growth conditions to determine interspecies differences. Primary photochemistry and electron transport capacity of individual species were examined by pulse amplitude-modulated (PAM) fluorescence. Although few differences were found in maximal photosystem II (PSII) photochemical efficiency between various species, large differences were noticed in their PSII-photosystem I (PSI) electron transport activity. We found that species such as T. oceanica and M. squamata have much lower photochemical activity than H. akashiwo. It appeared that processes involved in electron transport activity were more susceptible to change during algal evolution compared with the primary photochemical act close to PSII. Large variations in the nonphotochemical energy dissipation event among species were also observed. Light energy required to saturate photosynthesis was very different between species. We have shown that M. squamata and H. akashiwo required higher light energy (>1300 ,mol m,2 s,1) to saturate photosynthesis compared with S. costatum and E. huxleyi (ca 280 ,mol m,2 s,1). These differences were interpreted to be the result of variations in the size of lightharvesting complexes associated with PSII. These disparities in photosynthetic activity might modulate algal community structure in the natural environment where light energy is highly variable. Our results suggest that for an accurate evaluation of primary productivity from fluorescence measurements, it is essential to know the species composition of the algal community and the individual photosynthetic capacity related to the major phytoplankton species present in the natural phytoplankton assemblage. [source] An overview of the microphysical structure of cirrus clouds observed during EMERALD-1THE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY, Issue 607 2005M. W. Gallagher Abstract High-resolution ice microphysical, turbulence, heat and water vapour flux data in cirrus clouds were collected by the Airborne Research Australia's (ARA) Egret Grob 520T research aircraft during the first Egret Microphysics with Extended Radiation and Lidar experiment (EMERALD-1). The in situ cirrus measurements were guided by simultaneous airborne lidar measurements collected by the ARA Super King Air research aircraft which flew below the cirrus and whose horizontal position was synchronized with the Egret. This allowed the microphysics and turbulence measurements to be interpreted and evaluated within the context of large-scale cirrus structure and its evolution. A significant feature of the clouds observed was the presence on occasion of active convective columns. Large variations in the cirrus dynamics were observed, with significant variations in the ice crystal habit from cloud top to cloud base and within the evaporating fall-streaks of precipitation. However, on average the picture presented is consistent with that shown by Heymsfield and Miloshevich, and by Kajikawa and Heymsfield, with the upper supersaturated region of the cloud acting as an active particle-generation zone where homogeneous nucleation proceeds apace; ice crystals there are initially dominated by small irregular or spheroidally shaped particles, some of which can be identified as proto or ,germ' rosettes. These are then observed to grow into more open bullet rosette and columnar types as they fall into the less supersaturated middle and lower layers of the cloud. The mean recognisable ice particle size fell within a very narrow size band, 70,90 µm, but the actual size distribution is thought to increase in a continuous manner to smaller sizes. However, there are currently instrument limitations that make it difficult to confirm this unambiguously. Unlike most previous studies, however, the cirrus clouds observed here were mostly devoid of pristine plate-like crystals, as nucleation and growth within the planar growth regime was rarely encountered. During some cases bullet rosettes, once formed, did undergo transition to the plate growth regime with complex crystal shapes resulting. The mean size of pristine bullet rosettes was again confined to a relatively narrow range. The likely nucleation processes dominating in cirrus clouds are discussed in the light of the observations. Very high concentrations of small ice crystals were sometimes detected, concentrations reaching a maximum of 10 000 L,1. There is strong evidence supporting these high concentrations which are probably produced by the homogeneous freezing of aerosol. Copyright © 2005 Royal Meteorological Society [source] Sound production in four damselfish (Dascyllus) species: phyletic relationships?BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, Issue 4 2009ERIC PARMENTIER Most studies of fish sounds show that the sounds are species-specific, with unique spectral and timing characteristics. This raises the question as to whether these sounds can be used to understand phyletic relationships between species and which acoustic parameters are subject to variation between species. In the present study, 597 sounds (and 2540 pulses) related to signal jumps of four Dascyllus species (Dascyllus aruanus, Dascyllus trimaculatus, Dascyllus albisella, and Dascyllus flavicaudus) from different geographic regions (Madagascar, Moorea, Rangiroa, and Hawaii) were analysed. It was possible to discern species-specific sounds, but also variation in sounds between populations. Large variations in sound length were found between Dascyllus species, whereas differences in interpulse duration were found to be variable between populations. In the regions where species live in sympatry, it appears that they restrict the variability in their sounds. This could comprise evidence of adaptation with character displacement of sonic characteristics where different species co-occur. However, sonic characteristics still overlapped substantially between species, suggesting that females would need to sample more than one sound and potentially use other cues to discriminate between species. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 97, 928,940. [source] Categorizing Urgency of Infant Emergency Department Visits: Agreement between CriteriaACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 12 2006Rakesh D. Mistry MD Abstract Background The lack of valid classification methods for emergency department (ED) visit urgency has resulted in large variation in reported rates of nonurgent ED utilization. Objectives To compare four methods of defining ED visit urgency with the criterion standard, implicit criteria, for infant ED visits. Methods This was a secondary data analysis of a prospective birth cohort of Medicaid-enrolled infants who made at least one ED visit in the first six months of life. Complete ED visit data were reviewed to assess urgency via implicit criteria. The explicit criteria (adherence to prespecified criteria via complete ED charts), ED triage, diagnosis, and resources methods were also used to categorize visit urgency. Concordance and agreement (,) between the implicit criteria and alternative methods were measured. Results A total of 1,213 ED visits were assessed. Mean age was 2.8 (SD ± 1.78) months, and the most common diagnosis was upper respiratory infection (21.0%). Using implicit criteria, 52.3% of ED visits were deemed urgent. Urgent visits using other methods were as follows: explicit criteria, 51.8%; ED triage, 60.6%; diagnosis, 70.3%; and resources, 52.7%. Explicit criteria had the highest concordance (78.3%) and agreement (,= 0.57) with implicit criteria. Of limited data methods, resources demonstrated the best concordance (78.1%) and agreement (,= 0.56), while ED triage (67.9%) and diagnosis (71.6%) exhibited lower concordance and agreement (,= 0.35 and ,= 0.42, respectively). Explicit criteria and resources equally misclassified urgency for 11.1% of visits; ED triage and diagnosis tended to overclassify visits as urgent. Conclusions The explicit criteria and resources methods best approximate implicit criteria in classifying ED visit urgency in infants younger than six months of age. If confirmed in further studies, resources utilized has the potential to be an inexpensive, easily applicable method for urgency classification of infant ED visits when limited data are available. [source] Schizophrenia; from structure to function with special focus on the mediodorsal thalamic prefrontal loopACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 5 2009B. Pakkenberg Objective:, To describe structural and biochemical evidence from postmortem brains that implicates the reciprocal connections between the mediodorsal thalamic nucleus and the prefrontal cortex in cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. Method:, The estimation of the regional volumes and cell numbers was obtained using stereological methods. The biochemical analyses of molecular expression in postmortem brain involve quantitative measurement of transcripts and proteins by in-situ (RNA) or Western blot/autoradiography in brains from patients with schizophrenia and comparison subjects. Results:, Stereological studies in postmortem brain from patients with schizophrenia have reported divergent and often opposing findings in the total number of neurons and volume of the mediodorsal (MD) thalamic nucleus, and to a lesser degree in its reciprocally associated areas of the prefrontal cortex. Similarly, quantitative molecular postmortem studies have found large inter-subject and between-study variance at both the transcript and protein levels for receptors and their interacting molecules of several neurotransmitter systems in these interconnected anatomical regions. Combined, large variation in stereological and molecular studies indicates a complex and heterogeneous involvement of the MD thalamic-prefrontal loop in schizophrenia. Conclusion:, Based on a considerable heterogeneity in patients suffering from schizophrenia, large variation in postmortem studies, including stereological and molecular postmortem studies of the MD thalamus and frontal cortex, might be expected and may in fact partly help to explain the variable endophenotypic traits associated with this severe psychiatric illness. [source] Evaluating reserves for species richness and representation in northern CaliforniaDIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 4 2006Jeffrey R. Dunk ABSTRACT The Klamath-Siskiyou forests of northern California and southern Oregon are recognized as an area of globally outstanding biological distinctiveness. When evaluated at a national or global level, this region is often, necessarily, considered to be uniformly diverse. Due to large variation in biotic and abiotic variables throughout this region, however, it is unlikely that biological diversity is uniformly distributed. Furthermore, land management decisions nearly always occur at spatial scales smaller than this entire region. Therefore, we used field data from a random sampling design to map the distribution of local and regional richness of terrestrial molluscs and salamanders within northern California's portion of the Klamath-Siskiyou region. We also evaluated the protection afforded by reserves established for varying reasons (e.g. for inspiration and recreation for people vs. species conservation) to hotspots of species richness and species representation of these taxa. No existing reserves were created with these taxa in mind, yet it was assumed that reserves established largely around considerations for the northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) would afford adequate protection for many lesser-known species. Species of terrestrial molluscs and salamanders share two general features: (1) they have extremely low vagility, and (2) they are often associated with moist, cool microclimates. Existing reserves disproportionately included areas of hotspots of species richness for both taxa, when hotspots included the richest c. 25% of the area, whereas non-reserved lands contained greater than expected areas with lower species richness. However, when a more strict definition of hotspot was used (i.e. the richest c.10% of areas), local hotspots for both taxa were not disproportionately found in reserves. Reserves set aside largely for human aesthetics and recreation and those set aside for biodiversity both contributed to the protection of areas with high (greatest 25%) species richness. Existing biodiversity reserves represented 68% of mollusc species and 73% of salamander species, corresponding to the 99th and 93rd percentiles, respectively, of species representation achieved by simulating a random distribution of the same total area of reservation. Cumulatively, however, reserves set aside for inspiration and biodiversity represented 83% of mollusc species and 91% of salamander species. The existing reserves provide conservation value for terrestrial molluscs and salamanders. This reserve network, however, should not be considered optimal for either taxa. [source] Minimum viable population sizes and global extinction risk are unrelatedECOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 4 2006Barry W. Brook Abstract Theoretical and empirical work has shown that once reduced in size and geographical range, species face a considerably elevated risk of extinction. We predict minimum viable population sizes (MVP) for 1198 species based on long-term time-series data and model-averaged population dynamics simulations. The median MVP estimate was 1377 individuals (90% probability of persistence over 100 years) but the overall distribution was wide and strongly positively skewed. Factors commonly cited as correlating with extinction risk failed to predict MVP but were able to predict successfully the probability of World Conservation Union Listing. MVPs were most strongly related to local environmental variation rather than a species' intrinsic ecological and life history attributes. Further, the large variation in MVP across species is unrelated to (or at least dwarfed by) the anthropogenic threats that drive the global biodiversity crisis by causing once-abundant species to decline. [source] Prediction of large variation in biota to sediment accumulation factors due to concentration-dependent black carbon adsorption of planar hydrophobic organic compoundsENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 3 2005Gerard Cornelissen Abstract Biota-to-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) sometimes show large variations between sites for a given planar hydrophobic organic compound (pHOC) in a given organism. We present a framework in which strong adsorption to soot/charcoal (black carbon [BC]) explains such BSAF variations. Recently constrained parameters on environmental BC sorption were used in a dual-mode sorption model of BSAF. Variations in sedimentary BC content are shown to explain variations in BSAF of one to two orders of magnitude. In addition, strong BC sorption can explain the often-observed difference in BSAF between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The strong nonlinearity of BC sorption can render BSAF values strongly concentration-dependent for a given sediment/organism/compound combination, so it is of paramount importance to carry out uptake and toxicity tests at the relevant environmental concentrations. [source] Influence of liver copper status of mare and newborn foal on the development of osteochondrotic lesionsEQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 1 2003P. R. van WEEREN Summary Reason for performing study: To elucidate the highly contentious role of copper in the pathogenesis of osteochondrosis. Hypothesis: There would be no relationship between liver copper concentration of mares and foals and incidence of radiographically detectable osteochondrotic lesions in foals and yearlings was tested. Methods: Liver copper concentration was assessed in biopsies taken within 4 days after birth from both mares and foals and from the same foals at age 5 months. Biopsies were taken in the standing, sedated animal under ultrasonographic guidance. Radiographs were taken of both hocks (lateromedial, dorsoplantar and dorsomedial-plantarolateral oblique views) and stifles (lateromedial and caudolateral-craniomedial oblique views) at ages 5 and 11 months and scored for the presence and severity of osteochondrotic lesions. Results: Copper concentrations in newborn foals were high with a large variation (351 ± 201 mg/kg DM). They declined until reaching values comparable to those in mature animals at 5 months (20 ± 8 mg/kg DM; mares: 19 ± 20 mg/kg DM). Radiographic osteochondrotic lesions decreased in number and severity from 5 to 11 months. This pattern was more predominant in the stifle than in the hock, as has been described previously. Conclusions: There was no relationship between foal or mare liver copper concentration and osteochondrosis status at either 5 or 11 months. However, osteochondrotic lesions in foals with low-level copper status at birth decreased significantly less in number and severity than those in foals with high-level copper status at birth. Potential relevance: It is concluded that copper is not likely to be an important factor in the aetiopathogenesis of osteochondrosis, but this study indicates that there may be a significant effect of high copper status on the natural process of repair of early lesions. [source] Single-Atom O -Bridged Urea in a Dinickel(II) Complex together with NiII4, CuII2 and CuII4 Complexes of a Pentadentate Phenol-Containing Schiff Base with (O,N,O,N,O)-Donor AtomsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 5 2003Soumen Mukherjee Abstract A pentadentate phenol-containing ligand (H3L) with N2O3 donor atoms yields NiII2 (1), NiII4 (2), CuII2 (3) and CuII4 (4) complexes, which have been structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. Complex 1 contains a single-atom O -bridged urea. The compounds were characterized by IR, UV/Vis, mass spectrometry, electrochemistry and variable-temperature (2,295 K) magnetic susceptibility measurements. Analysis of the susceptibility data shows antiferromagnetic interactions between the metal centers indicating a diamagnetic ground state for complexes 1, 3 and 4, whereas complex 2, a tetranuclear NiII cubane, has a complicated low-lying magnetic structure with a non-diamagnetic ground state. A plot of J vs. Ni,O,Ni angles for all structurally characterized Ni4O4 cubane cores, including 2, irrespective of their symmetry exhibits a large variation of J values within a small range of Ni,O,Ni angles. The electrochemistry of all complexes was investigated in detail and the ligand-centered oxidation to a radical-ligand is inferred from the occurrence of oxidation processes at potentials which are similar. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2003) [source] Cytotoxicity and sealing properties of four classes of endodontic sealers evaluated by succinic dehydrogenase activity and confocal laser scanning microscopyEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORAL SCIENCES, Issue 2 2004Serge Bouillaguet The objectives of this study were to evaluate the cytotoxicity and sealing properties of four classes of endodontic sealers (PCS/Kerr, RoekoSeal/Roeko, TopSeal/Dentsply, and EndoREZ/Ultradent). For cytotoxicity testing (MTT method), the materials were either placed immediately in contact with cultured cells or 24 h after setting, then evaluated at three subsequent time points (24 h, 48 h, or 1 wk). For the leakage study, extracted human roots were obturated with acrylic cones and sealers and immersed for 48 h into rhodamine-labeled lipopolysaccharide. The roots were then observed under a confocal laser scanning microscope to estimate (semiquantitatively) the presence of the rhodamine-lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inside the canal. The results showed that cytotoxicity generally increased with time, and that most materials pose significant cytotoxic risks, particularly in the freshly mixed condition. Further, all materials showed significant leakage although there was large variation among teeth. Overall, the silicon-based material (Roeko Seal) was less cytotoxic and more effective in sealing root canals against LPS leakage than other materials. [source] New visions of dental tissue research: Tooth development, chemistry, and structureEVOLUTIONARY ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 5 2008Tanya M. Smith Abstract Teeth are one of the best preserved and most commonly recovered elements in primate fossil assemblages. Taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic hypotheses often rely on dental characters, despite considerable evidence of homoplasy in tooth form and large variation in tooth size within and among primates.1,2 Recent studies have led to new areas of research centered on incremental tooth development, chemical composition, and internal structure. Due to rapid technological developments in imaging and elemental sampling, these new approaches have the potential to increase our understanding of developmental biology, including not only changes in the pace of growth and reproduction, but also our assessments of diets, migration patterns, environments, and taxonomy. The integration of these temporal, chemical, and structural approaches heralds a bright future for the role of dental tissue research in evolutionary anthropology. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The enhancement of cod stocksFISH AND FISHERIES, Issue 2 2000T. Svåsand Atlantic cod have been a primary target for marine stock enhancement since the 1880s. In the early part of this period, hatched larvae were released in Norway, the USA and Canada. The last larval releases were conducted in Norway in 1971, and a century of cod larvae releases were halted without any clear evidence of benefit. Since the early 1980s, the focus has been on production of larger, more viable juvenile cod. Emphasis has been given to the design of tag,release programmes involving large-scale releases and ecosystem analysis in selected ecosystems. Most of this research has been carried out in Norway, where more than one million tagged juvenile cod have been released. Smaller stocking experiments have also been performed in Denmark, Sweden, the Faroe Islands and the USA. This paper reviews the major findings from these programmes. We include summaries and evaluations of rearing techniques for juvenile cod, methods of tagging and recapture, experimental fishing, migration, mortality and growth rates in the different habitats, genetic analysis, and ecosystem studies that have tried to describe the variation in the cod carrying capacity of selected release areas. Despite relatively large variation in environmental conditions, in cod production and in fishing mortality along the Norwegian coast, results indicate that, under the conditions experienced during the 1980s and 1990s, releases of juvenile cod did not significantly increase cod production and catches. The biological limitations and future prospects of Atlantic cod stock enhancement are addressed. [source] Decadal-scale variations of ecosystem productivity and control mechanisms in the Bohai SeaFISHERIES OCEANOGRAPHY, Issue 4-5 2003Qisheng Tang Abstract Decadal-scale variations of ecosystem productivity in the Bohai Sea are described by using the survey data of 1959,60, 1982,83, 1992,93 and 1998,99. Indices including chlorophyll a concentration, primary production, phytoplankton abundance, zooplankton biomass and fishery biomass were used to describe the ecosystem productivity at different trophic levels. During the past four decades, the productivity and community structure of the Bohai Sea ecosystem has been highly variable. Primary productivity and fish productivity decreased from 1959 to 1998, such that phytoplankton abundance in 1992 and 1998 was about 38% of that in 1959 and 1982, fishery biomass in 1998 was particularly low, which was only about 5% of that in 1959. Zooplankton secondary productivity also showed a decreasing trend from 1959 to 1992, but reached high levels in 1998, about three times as much as 1959 and 1982, and four times as much as 1992. These results indicate that a large variation in ecosystem productivity is one of the important characteristics of coastal ecosystem dynamics. Therefore, it is impossible to apply a single theory to explain the causes of variations in the Bohai Sea ecosystem as the changes in productivity are likely to be forced and/or modulated by multiple mechanisms. [source] Bigger is better: implications of body size for flight ability under different light conditions and the evolution of alloethism in bumblebeesFUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Issue 6 2007A. KAPUSTJANSKIJ Summary 1In social insects, reproductive success and survival of the colony critically depend on the colony's ability to efficiently allocate workers to the various tasks which need to be performed. In bumblebees, workers show a large variation of body size within a colony. Large workers tend to leave the nest and forage for nectar and pollen, whereas small workers stay inside the nest and fulfill nest duties. It was speculated that size-related differences of the sensory system might contribute to alloethism found in bumblebee colonies. 2In the first part, we investigated how body size determines eye morphology. We measured several eye parameters of Bombus terrestris workers and drones. In both, workers and drones, larger individuals had larger eyes with larger facet diameters, more ommatidia and larger ocelli. At similar body size, drones exhibited larger eyes and ocelli compared to workers. Due to theoretical considerations, we predict that large individuals with large eyes should be better able to operate in illumination conditions of lower intensity than small individuals, since ommatidial sensitivity is proportional to the square of facet diameter. 3In the second part, we tested this prediction. In a behavioural experiment, we first caught bumblebees of various sizes in the field and then determined the lowest light intensity level at which they are just able to fly under controlled laboratory conditions. We tested workers of B. terrestris and B. pascuorum, and workers and drones of B. lapidarius. Large bumblebees were able to fly under lower light levels compared to small bees, with light intensity thresholds ranging from 1·1 to 5·5 lux. 4Our results indicate that the increased light sensitivity of the visual system of large bumblebees allows them to fly under poor light conditions, for example, very early in the morning or late at dusk. This is of potential benefit to the survival of a bumblebee colony since flowers that open early in the morning usually have accumulated a relatively high amount of nectar and pollen throughout the night, and large bumblebees can utilize these resources earlier than most other bees. Thus, our findings have important implications for the understanding of the functional significance and evolution of alloethism in bumblebee colonies. [source] Ecological correlates of seed survival after ingestion by Fallow DeerFUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2005A. MAARTEN MOUISSIE Summary 1The survival and retention of seeds was studied by feeding known quantities of seeds of 25 species to four captive Fallow Deer (Dama dama L.). To test for ecological correlates, plant species were selected to represent large variation in seed size, seed shape, seed longevity and habitat fertility. 2Seeds of 24 out of 25 fed plant species survived ingestion and defecation by Fallow Deer. Seed survival ranged between 0·5 and 42% of germinable seeds fed. Time to recover 50% of all seeds defecated by Fallow Deer in faeces averaged 25 h, and ranged from 13 to 38 h. 3Seed survival was negatively related to seed mass (R = 0·65) and variance of unit seed dimensions (R = ,0·56), and positively related to seed longevity (R = 0·40), but not related to habitat fertility. Log10 of (seed mass × variance of seed dimensions) was the best predictor of seed survival (R = ,0·68). 4The ecological correlates of seed survival presented here can help us to estimate the ability of plant species to disperse seeds over long distances. [source] Pushing the edge: extended activity as an alternative to risky body temperatures in a herbivorous teiid lizard (Cnemidophorus murinus: Squamata)FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2005L. J. VITT Summary 1A combination field and laboratory study tested the hypothesis that a herbivorous lizard, Cnemidophorus murinus, extends activity at high body temperatures to digest plant material. 2Body temperatures (Tb) of active lizards averaged 37·2 °C and were no higher than those of insect-eating Cnemidophorus. 3Near constant Tb was maintained by behavioural means even though habitat temperatures varied greatly. 4Field-based behavioural data show that C. murinus extend activity by shifting among microhabitats to increase duration of time available at high Tb for digestion. 5Laboratory studies revealed large variation in selected temperatures (Tsel), but the overall average was 35·9 °C, which is lower than field Tb. 6By carefully selecting microhabitats and extending activity, C. murinus maintains constant high body temperatures to digest plant material without risking potentially lethal overheating. [source] Estimating monthly surface winds for Scania, southern Sweden, using geostrophic wind (1899,1997)GEOGRAFISKA ANNALER SERIES A: PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Issue 2 2002Marie Ekström Wind direction conditions during the 20th century in Scania, southern Sweden, are investigated using an estimated series of monthly wind vector components (east,west u component and north,south v component). The series is developed from a regression relationship between pairwise (1973 to 1997) monthly averages of 10,m surface wind from Scania and a monthly geostrophic wind, based on mean sea level (MSL) pressure data from the National Center of Atmospheric Research (NCAR). The wind conditions during the 20th century are dominated by winds from southwesterly and westerly directions, particularly during summer and autumn. From the 1980s onwards, increased frequencies of westerly winds are evident in spring and summer; however, similarly large frequencies of westerly winds are also found during the early part of the 20th century. Analysis of the estimated wind series indicates large variation in wind direction during the investigated time period, particularly during 1930 to 1960 when large increases of easterly winds are evident in spring. Increased frequencies of easterly winds were also found in other months during this period but not to the same extent as during the spring season. Thus, the presence of periods with quite different wind characteristics suggests that the overall atmospheric circulation has experienced some shifts in this region during the 20th century. [source] Optimization of culture conditions for plant regeneration of Panicum spp. through somatic embryogenesisGRASSLAND SCIENCE, Issue 1 2010Mi-Suk Seo Abstract We developed a rapid and efficient shoot regeneration system for Panicum spp. by adjusting the regeneration medium and studying the responses of different genotypes and the influence of explant types (mature seed, immature embryo and shoot apex). We used Panicum meyerianum (Nees) and Panicum longijubatum (Stapf) which were shown to perform well, to select the optimal medium for shoot regeneration. The highest frequency of shoot regeneration was obtained on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 30 g L,1 maltose and 1 mg L,1 N-phenyl-N,-[(1,2,3-thidiazol-5-yl) urea]. The callus formed green spots after 1 week of culture and showed primary green shoots after 2 weeks. In this system, the calli derived from mature seed of nine Panicum genotypes showed large variation in shoot regeneration ability: from 0 to 69.9% in the frequency of shoot formation and from 0 to 8.4 in the number of shoots per callus. Guineagrass (Panicum maximum Jacq.) showed no ability and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) showed low ability to regenerate from mature seed-derived calli; however, both were able to be regenerated from immature embryos and calli derived from shoot apices. We developed an efficient protocol for high shoot regeneration of various Panicum genotypes which provides a foundation for efficient tissue culture and genetic improvement of Panicum. [source] Clinical outcome of moderate haemophilia compared with severe and mild haemophiliaHAEMOPHILIA, Issue 1 2009I. E. M. DEN UIJL Summary., Information on outcome and treatment of patients with moderate haemophilia is scarce. In this study, we compared self-reported burden of disease in moderate haemophilia to severe and mild haemophilia. A nationwide questionnaire on bleeding pattern, treatment, impairment and quality of life was sent to 1567 Dutch patients with haemophilia. Out of 1066 respondents (response rate: 68%), 16% had moderate, 44% severe and 39% mild haemophilia. Median age was 36 years. Although overall outcome in moderate haemophilia was in between severe and mild haemophilia, moderate haemophilia patients did report a substantial burden of disease. The majority of patients with moderate haemophilia (73%) reported bleeds in the previous year; and a considerable proportion of moderate patients reported joint impairment (43%), chronic pain (15%), needed orthopaedic aids (24%) or were unemployed because of disability (27%). Within the group of moderate haemophilia patients, a large variation in bleeding pattern and outcome was observed. A quarter of patients with moderate haemophilia reported a more severe phenotype and intermittent use of prophylaxis. These patients reported frequent bleeding, with a median of eight bleeds per year, including two joint bleeds, and 68% reported joint impairment. In conclusion: Although outcome in moderate haemophilia is generally in between severe and mild haemophilia, moderate haemophilia patients reported a substantial burden of disease, and for more than 25% of patients with moderate haemophilia long term prophylaxis was implemented because of frequent bleeds. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||